Rochester Minnesota Harassment Lawyer

Minnesota Harassment Restraining Order Attorney

A Harassment Restraining Order is one type of restraining order that can be granted in the State of Minnesota. An HRO may be appropriate when the behavior of the person it seeks to restrain does not rise to the level of domestic abuse, or when the person does not fit the definition of a family or household member. Whether you are the person seeking the HRO or you have had an HRO brought against you, it is important to hire a Rochester Minnesota OFP and HRO lawyer to best protect your rights under the circumstances.

Harassment Restraining Order (HRO)

This webpage addresses Harassment Restraining Orders. For an analysis of Orders for Protection, please click here.

An HRO proceeding is started when one party files a petition with the Court in the county where that person lives or where the alleged harassment occurred. For a person to be successful in obtaining an HRO, he/she must prove one of the following:

• A single incident of physical or sexual assault
• Repeated incidents of intrusive or unwanted acts, words or gestures that have a substantial adverse effect or are intended to have a substantial adverse effect on the safety, security or privacy of another, regardless of the relationship between the petitioner and the alleged harasser
• Targeted residential picketing
• A pattern of attending public events after being notified that one's presence is harassing to another

Unlike an OFP proceeding where the filing fee is automatically waived for the petitioner, in an HRO proceeding the petitioner must pay the filing fee or ask the Court to waive it based on financial hardship.

What can be Addressed in an HRO

HROs do not address as many issues as OFPs do. They do not address custody or support; however, an HRO will instruct the respondent that he/she is trespassed from the petitioner’s employment and home and is not to contact the petitioner by any means. An HRO can be initially issued on a temporary basis and then later changed to a permanent order with a duration of up to two years, though in certain extreme cases they can be ordered for as long as 50 years.

HRO Violation

A violation of a Harassment Restraining Order can have very serious repercussions. The violator may be arrested and charged criminally with a crime and even held in contempt of Court.

Request a Free Consultation

If you have additional questions about Harassment Restraining Orders in Minnesota, please contact the Dilaveri Law Firm today. We always offer free initial consultations to our clients. Call  507.206.6020 or complete our free case evaluation form.